The Maccabi Tel Aviv juggernaut remained on course for more success on Saturday and the club dominated throughout the TASE Premier League home clash at Bloomfield against Ashdod SC, winning 2-0.
They lead the standings by seven points, although they have played 20 games, compared to second-placed Maccabi Haifa’s 19.
Maccabi held the vast majority of possession throughout and Ashdod under newly-appointed coach Ran Ben Shimon were clearly second-best in the clash.
An untidy start to the game finally came to light in the 35th minute when Omer Atzili struck a right-footed shot from the edge of the area after a well constructed move that and the in-form striker’s shot end up in the bottom right corner of the Ashdod net. The ball deflected off the inside of the post and left Ashdod goalkeeper Roy Mashpati no chance of keeping it out.
Maccabi almost doubled the score in the 52nd minute in an excellent move in which Atzili back-heeled the ball to Eyal Golasa, but the latter’s diagonal shot from the right was deflected by Mashpati and the ball rolled out past Ashdod’s left post.
Mashpati again came to visitors’ rescue in the 63rd minute when Chico Ofuedo was put clear inside the box in front of goal but his shot went straight in the direction of the Ashdod goalkeeper who again diverted the ball.
Ashdod’s faint hopes of getting anything from the match were finally snuffed out when Maccabi were awarded a penalty in the 75th minute after Mashpati sprinted off his line to try to intercept Itay Shechter who was speeding towards the ball just inside the left corner of the area. The ‘keeper was a fraction late and Shechter went down.
Yonatan Cohen stepped up to take the spot kick and shot low to the left as Mashpati, who was shown a yellow card for his foul on Shechter, went the other way.
That second goal put the result beyond doubt but Maccabi tried for more and Cohen came close in the 84th minute when clear in front of goal, his shot hit the left post and rebounded into touch.
Ashdod had nothing to show for their scant efforts while Daniel Tenenbaum in the Maccabi goal notched another clean sheet.
